Spittoon.



No. 792,852. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. A. ROTTER & A. KAMMERER.

SPITTOON. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1904.

Bzventof$ Witnesses. MM 5/ UNITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SPITTOON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,852, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed February 18. 1904. Serial No. 194,197.

To all whom it puny concern.-

Be it known that we, ALoIs Ro'r'rER and ALoIs KAMMERER, subjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, both residing at Berndorfon-the-Triesting, in the Empire of Austria- I-Iungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spittoons, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to covered spittoons or cuspidors of that class wherein the expectorated matter deposited by one user is concealed from subsequent users when the cover is reopened by means of mechanism actuated by the opening and closing of the cover.

In its preferred embodiment our invention comprises a containing-chamber adapted to be partially filled with liquid, said chamber having a cover provided with mechanism serving to slowly agitate the liquid, when the cover is closing, in a manner to remove from view the floating expectorant, so that a subsequent user upon reopening the cover sees only clear liquid.

Spittoons of the prior art have usually contained in the chamber means actuated by the cover to effect removal from view of the expectorant. This has been found to be an objectionable mechanical feature, especially in structures formed of stamped metal, where slight defective alinement of coacting parts often renders the mechanism inoperative. Other forms of the prior art depend, for the removal from view of the expectorant deposit, upon bodily movement of the containingchamber, which form is only effective when the liquid is frequently renewed.

The defects of the prior art by means of my improved device are obviated by the employment of mechanism carried upon the cover, which cooperates directly with the liquid, but does not mechanically engage devices of the containing-chamber. This construction not only insures positive action in removing the cxpectorated matter from view, but avoids the use of mechanically coacting parts mounted, respectively, upon the cover and contaming-chamber.

Our invention possesses other important advantages, which will be more fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in section of a spittoon embodying the main features of my invention and showing the cover in a closed position, said section being taken on line a a of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan elevation of the form shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the cover in an open position.

. A vessel 1, comprising the main body or containing-chamber of the spittoon, is provided. Said vessel 1 is divided into compartments by a partition 11, which desirably extends throughout the width of said vessel, but preferably does not extend throughout its depth. A quantity of liquid, which may be provided with a disinfectant, is placed in the vessel 1 to directly receive the expectorated matter. A suflicient quantity of liquid is provided to bring the upper surface thereof slightly above the top of the partition 11. The vessel 1 is also provided with a cover 3, which is connected therewith by a hinge 2 in a manner to permit the cover to be opened and disclose to the user of the cuspidor a space sufiiciently large to permit access of the expectorated matter.

In order to conceal from one user of the cuspidor the matter deposited by previous users, means are provided whereby upon closing the lid 3 said expectorated matter is positively acted upon and thrust from the open compartment in which it is deposited over the partition 11 into a second compartment 13. This last-named compartmentis desirably provided with a lid 12, hinged at 1 1, which is unconnected with the lid 3 and desirably remains closed during the operation of said lid 3 and its mechanism. It will be seen that said lid 12 effectively conceals the expectorated matter after the same has beentransferred to the compartment 18.

Inasmuch as the usual position of the cuspidor is out of convenient hand reach of the user a foot-actuated mechanism is provided, which preferably consists of a toe or heel plate 5, projecting in a position to be conveniently engaged by the toe or heel of the users foot. Said heel-plate is provided with an upwardly-projeeting portion, which is connected with the lid 3 by a link-hinge 4:. A link 6 also connects said vessel 1 with the foot-actuated plate 5 at 7. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 that theheel-plate5 is permitted to have a downward bodily movement to effect the opening of the lid 3, which, unlike a pivoted construction, maintains the plate 5 in a substantially horizontal position through- 31151] the operation of closing and opening the The mechanism causing transfer of the eX- pectorated matter from one compartment to the other is in the preferred embodiment desirably carried by the lid 3. Said mechanism consists of a movable member or gate 10, slidably connected with ways 8 by means of rollers 9, said ways being secured to the lower face of the lid Said gate 10 is substantially equal in length to the width of the vessel 1, and when the lid 3 is closed said gateis desirably partially submerged in the liquid and occupies a position adjacent to the partition 11. When the lid 3 is open, said gate 10 slides upon the guides or ways 8 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 to the inner extremity of said ways. Upon closure of said lid 3 and as said ways become inclined downwardly from the horizontal said gate 10 moves forwardly by gravity, engaging the upper surface of the liquid and slowly moving the floating matter thereon in a direction toward the partition 11. This operation effects transfer of the floating expectorated matter from one chamber to the other over the top surface of the partition 11.

It will be obvious that in emptying the contents of the vessel 1 the same may be inclined or tilted in a forward or sidewise position, whereupon the lids 12 and 3 will freely and automatically open, permitting outflow of the contents of the vessel. A handle 16 is provided to afford convenient means to the user in emptying and handling the spittoon.

In order to prevent the lid 12 from falling downwardly into the chamber 13, a stop 15 is provided which serves to limit the downward movement of said lid 12 and serves also to hold the same in a position substantially parallel to the lid 3. Said lid 12 is preferably hinged at 14 to the side walls of the vessel 1.

It will be seen that in cleansing the spittoon the gate 10 may be entirely removed, while the opening-covers 3 and 12 permit of easy access to those parts in the interior which are not removable.

While we have described and shown a single embodiment of our invention, it will be obvious that changes may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A spittoon having a containing-chamber of suitable height, a comparatively low wall dividing said chamber into separate compartments, a cover hinged to said chamber, aguide attached to the lower face of said cover, and inclined toward said dividing-wall when the cover is in a closed position, and a vertical gate moving on said guide by gravity, whereby when the cover is closed a portion of the contained liquid is automatically pushed from one compartment to the other over the dividing-wall.

2. A spittoon having a containing-chamber of suitable height, a comparatively low wall dividing said chamber into separate compartments, a cover for said chamber hinged to the spittoon, guides attached to the lower face of said cover and inclined toward said dividingwall when the cover is in a closed position, stops on said guides near said dividing-wall,

rollers freely movable by gravity on said.

guides, and a plate carried by said rollers of such extent as to sweep through the top of the liquid contained in one compartment when the cover is closed, whereby a portion of the contained liquid is forced from one compartment to the other over the dividing-wall.

3. A spittoon having a containing-chamber of suitable height, a comparatively low wall dividing said chamber into separate compartments, a cover hinged to said chamber, a guide attached to the lower face of said cover, and inclined toward said dividing-wall when the cover is in a closed position, and a vertical plate moving on said guide by gravity, whereby when the cover is closed a portion of the contained liquid is automatically pushed from one compartment to the other over the dividing-wall, and an aperture connecting the two compartments at the bottom of said dividingwall, whereby the contained liquid will normally attain a common level in the two compartments.

1. A spittoon having a containing-chamber of suitable height, a comparatively low wall dividing said chamber into separate compartments, a cover for said chamber hinged to the spittoon, guides attached to the lower face of said cover, and inclined toward said dividingwall when the cover is in a closed position, stops on said guides near said dividing-wall, rollers freely movable by gravity upon said guides, and a plate carried by said rollers of such extent as tosweep through the top of the liquid contained in one compartment when the cover is closed, whereby a portion of the contained liquid is forced from one compartment to the other over the dividing-wall, and an aperture connecting the two compartments at the bottom of said dividing-wall, whereby the contained liquid will normally attain a common level in the two compartments.

5. A spittoon having a containing-chamber of suitable height, a comparatively low wall dividing said chamber into separate compartments, a cover for the chamber hinged near the end of one compartment, a separate cover for the other compartment, supported a considerable distance above the top of said dividing-wall and near the top of the chamber, parallel rods carried by the inner face of said first-mentioned cover above the compartment to which it is hinged, and inclined toward said dividing-wall when the cover is in a hori- Zontal position, and turned up near said wall to form stops, a roller freely movable on each rod by gravity, a plate connecting said rollers and pivoted thereto to hang always in a vertical plane, said rollers when in their lower position being approximately at the level of the top of said dividing-wall, and said plate being of a vertical height approximately equal to that of the dividing-wall, and a passageway between the two compartments at the bottom of said dividing-wall.

6. A spittoon having a containing-chamber of suitable height, a comparatively low wall dividing said chamber into separate compartments, a cover for the chamber hinged near the end of one compartment, parallel rods carried by the inner faceof said first-mentioned cover above the compartment to which it is hinged, and inclined toward said dividing-wall when the cover is in a horizontal position, and turned up near said wall to form stops, a roller freely movable on each rod by gravity, a plate connecting said rollers and pivoted thereto to hang always in a vertical plane, said rollers when in their lower position being at the level of the top of said dividing-wall, and said plate being of a vertical height approximately equal to that of the dividing-wall.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names, this 30th day of January, 1904, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALOIS ROTTER. ALOIS KAMMERER. Witnesses:

ALvEsTo S. Hoenn, IGNAZ KNoPFsHNAcHE. 

